By Kevin Kleps, Fantasy Correspondent
The overall top 100 in fantasy baseball for 2009:
1. Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals: He’s batted no worse than .314 with at least 32 homers and 103 RBI in every season since 2001. Hanley Ramirez’s speed is enticing, but Pujols crushes him in two categories (RBI and batting average), will hit more homers and has averaged 118 runs scored per season in his eight-year career.
2. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins: He’s a legitimate 40-40 threat who does everything well except drive in a lot of runs.
3. David Wright, 3B, Mets: Even if A-Rod was healthy, Wright – with averages of 32 homers, 116 RBI and 25 steals the last two seasons - could have been considered the best third baseman on the board.
4. Jose Reyes, SS, Mets: He won’t help you much in the power department, but he’ll steal 55 to 75 bases, score at least 110 runs and bat in the .290 range.
5. Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers: All he’s done in two big-league seasons is bat .301, crack 71 home runs, steal 29 bases and drive in 203 runs – in fewer than 1,100 at-bats.
6. Grady Sizemore, OF, Indians: Another 40-40 threat, but one who strikes out too much (an average of 143 Ks the last four seasons) and hits for too low of an average (.268 in 2008) to justify a top-five pick.
7. Tim Lincecum, SP, Giants: The best pitcher on the board is a diminutive Giant who was 18-5 with a 2.65 ERA and 265 strikeouts in 227 innings (an average of 10.5 per nine innings) in his second major-league season.
8. Lance Berkman, 1B, Astros: Miguel Cabrera and Mark Teixeira are the bigger names, but I prefer the player who stole 18 bases, batted .312 and scored 114 runs last season. Berkman’s power numbers aren’t bad, either (averages of 36 homers and 115 RBI the last three seasons).
9. Mark Teixeira, 1B, Yankees: He’s had at least 30 homers and 105 RBI in each of the last five seasons, and the latter stat should only improve batting in the middle of the Yankees’ lineup.
10. Brandon Webb, SP, Diamondbacks: You might prefer to add some pop here, but I’ll take a durable pitcher who is a combined 56-25 with 555 strikeouts the last three seasons.
11. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Tigers: His average dropped below .300, but his power numbers (37 HR, 127 RBI) were career bests, and he should be more comfortable in the AL this season.
12. Alfonso Soriano, OF, Cubs: He’s missed 27 and 53 games, respectively, the last two seasons, and his stolen bases have slipped to 19 each year.
13. Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies: He was fantastic in his NL MVP season of 2007 (.296, 30 homers, 94 RBI, 41 steals), but provided little pop and stole only 11 bases a year ago.
14. Manny Ramirez, OF, Dodgers: Don’t be worried about his early hamstring injury – Manny being Manny.
15. Johan Santana, P, Mets: A stellar WHIP of 1.14 last year, and that's above his career WHIP of 1.10. And with injury concerns out of the way, he should be among the top three pitchers taken.
16. Ryan Howard, 1B, Phillies: The good: He’s averaged 51 home runs and 110 RBI the last three seasons. The bad: He’s batted .268 and .251 the last two seasons. The scary: He’s struck out a combined 579 times the past three years.
17. Roy Halladay, SP, Blue Jays: He’s always a threat to win 20 games with a sub-3.00 ERA, and last year he struck out more than 200 batters for the first time since 2003.
18. CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees: The big lefty’s 251 strikeouts were 42 better than his previous career high, which must have impressed the Steinbrenners to the tune of $161 million.
19. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox: The reigning AL MVP is banged up early, but it shouldn’t derail one of fantasy’s biggest surprises of 2008.
20. Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies: Another stud second baseman with an injury, only Utley's was much more serious (offseason hip surgery) – enough that I would take Pedroia over the Phillie who has 115 homers and 414 RBI with a batting average of .291 or better in the last four seasons.
21. Josh Hamilton, OF, Rangers: The one-time phenom has finally realized his potential, but he’ll have a hard time driving in 130 runs again this season.
22. Carlos Lee, OF, Astros: He hits for average and he's consistent in the power department – at least 28 homers and 98 RBI in each of the last seven seasons.
23. Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins: He won't steal any bases, but he does everything else.
24. Matt Holliday, OF, A's: He leaves the friendly confines of Coors Field, where he batted .332 with 15 homers and 59 RBI last season, to play 81 games in Oakland.
25. Carlos Beltran, OF, Mets: He’s not going give your batting average much of a boost (Beltran is a career .281 hitter), but he’ll hit for power and steal bases (a combined 101 homers, 340 RBI and 66 steals the last three seasons).
26. Ian Kinsler, 2B, Rangers: If he can improve upon his power numbers in his fourth season, this speedy Ranger could surpass Pedroia and Utley at the position.
27. Cole Hamels, SP, Phillies: Before you draft the 25-year-old who won 14 games and struck out 196 in his third season, make sure his sore elbow is of no concern.
28. Jake Peavy, SP, Padres: He would be better than the seventh-ranked pitcher if we were certain to get the 2007 Peavy (19-6, 2.54 ERA, 240 strikeouts) instead of the 2008 version (10-11, 2.85, 166).
29. Roy Oswalt, SP, Astros: He has a 3.13 career ERA and rebounded from a terrible start in 2008 to win 17 games.
30. Kevin Youkilis, 1B, Red Sox: He can play first or third, and is a double (43) and RBI (115) machine.
31. Jonathan Papelbon, RP, Red Sox: It’s difficult to select a closer this early, but he can save games much better than he can dance.
32. Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays: He still has to improve in runs scored and batting average to be a fantasy force, but it’s hard to argue with 27 homers and 85 RBI as a rookie.
33. Prince Fielder, 1B, Brewers: His 2007 (50 homers, 119 RBI, .288) was much more impressive than his 2008 (34, 102, .276). In points leagues, beware of strikeouts.
34. David Ortiz, DH, Red Sox: If he’s healthy, which wasn’t the case last year, he’ll hit 35-plus home runs and drive in 120 runs or more.
35. Nick Markakis, OF, Orioles: His power and steal numbers dropped in 2008, but he still batted .306 with 20 homers.
Click onward for 36-100.
